Yellow Kayak: A Picture Book

Yellow Kayak:  A Picture Book

Written by Nina Laden

Illustrated by Melissa Castrillon

Hardcover:  Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, 2018

Yellow Kayak by Nina Laden and illustrated by Melissa Castrillon is as lyrically beautiful as it is visually stunning.  A boy and his pet giraffe go for a kayak ride on the ocean in the waning hours of a beautiful summer afternoon. They see loons and fish and seals. The wind comes up and the waves get bigger and sure enough, a storm brews. How will the little boy and his pet giraffe survive such a watery tumult? What do they see in the throes of the storm? Can they ever find their way home again? This enchanting story will soothe any child frightened by thunder and lightning. Laden tells the story in short, steady, reassuring verse which keeps the dreamy adventure from being scary. By the story’s end, children will be content, relaxed, and ready for sleep.

Melissa Castrillon’s illustrations are bold, colorful, and whimsical. She adds her own visual narrative to this already charming story. Parent and child will love discovering all the beautiful sea creatures she has included in the pages. The whimsical nature of her illustrations, like Laden’s light and steady verse, keeps the adventure more dream-like than real. All of this makes Yellow Kayak the perfect bedtime story. Parents and toddlers are in for a wonderful treat.